Nick Fouquet Native American And Psychedelic Adventurer

We’re used to seeing trendsetting fashion come out of the Los Angeles area, but Nick Fouquet of Venice, CA is breaking the mold altogether. At a time when hats are decades outdated except amongst hipsters, his fashionable, quirky works are making their mark amongst anyone creative — and adventurous — enough to wear them.

Nick describes himself as “part human part animal. French with a Huck Finn spirit. Part Native American and part psychedelic adventurer.” All of this is visible in his works, with options that would work equally well on a cowboy or a luxury cruise. Other hats of his are hard to imagine anywhere outside an Alice in Wonderland costume party. Our best suggestion, a gorgeous convertible, plaid shirt and a drive through wine country, Napa or Sonoma with the top down.

Not surprisingly, Nick plays up this “Mad Hatter” connection. His compelling and quirky video (which is well worth a watch as a study in marketing, regardless of your feelings on hats) is something of a defense of mad hatters. It manages to give the madness a certain allure while doing a deliberately terrible job of proving his own sanity.

A ready-to-wear hat made of sustainably harvested beaver fur felt will set you back over a grand, with straw hats coming in at a little over half that. But it may be worth it to join the varied ranks who wear these treasures, which include such diverse members as Pharrell Williams, Justin Bieber, and Gary Clark Jr. It does take a bit of style to pull it off, style as a matter of opinion, but these are amazing.

Besides, as Nick puts it, “a hat is your soulmate, and finding the right hat is like dating.” Who can put a price on love like that?